Railway time-signal



(No Model.)`

A. H. THORP.

RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

CIMA@ ITM Elx M um

NTTED STATES f PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT H. THORP, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

RAILWAY TIME-SIG NAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,723, dated August30, 1892.

Application filed September 26, 1891. Serial No. 406,960. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ADELBERT I'I. THORP, of Toledo, county of Lucas, andState of Ohio, haveinvented certain newand useful Improvements in aRailway Time-Signal for Indicating the Movement of Trains; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a railway time-sig nal for indicating themovement of trains, and has for its object to provide a simple, correct,and automatically-operated indicator for indicating the interim elapsingbetween the passage of trains at the given point.

A further object is to provide a mechanism for this purpose thatshallpreclude the possibility of mistake by reason of carelessness andthat shall be inexpensive of construction.

The invention, in a broad sense, comprehends a time-signal operated by apassing train which actuates an indicator registering a minimum periodof time, which mechanically indicates the period of time that may4elapse between the passage of the same and the arrival of a precedingtrain, with means for adapting the same for use upon a single track.

It is well known that a great majority of the accidents occur in themovement of trains by reason of the carelessness or incompetency ofoperators intrusted with the running of trains. It becomes necessary inView of this fact that there shall be mechanical means employed for thispurpose that shall correctly indicate the distance or time existingbetween trains moving in the same direction. In order to accomplish thisresult, there must be a minimum period indicated by the first train andmechanism for indicating a maximum time between the first and succeedingtrain, which second train must change the indication heretofore existingand indicate a new and minimum period, this relation and operation toexist and succeed, respectively, at the passage of each train. It isalso necessary that there should be a provision for allowing the passageof a train in an opposite direction without affecting the indicator. Ihave accomplished these results by the mechanism hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation ofanindicator'constructed in accordance with my invention, theair-compressor being shown in section to disclose the interior thereof.Fig. 2 is an edge or side view,in vertical section, of the indicatingmechanism. Fig. S is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of the samewith the front casing and dial removed to disclose the interiormechanism. Fig.4 is a detail view of the actuating-lever, showing apivoted spring-actuated bearing-plate for contacting with thewheel-tread in order to operate the indicator by the passage of a trainin one direction and allow the lever to remain intact upon the passageof a train in a reverse direction. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of thepointer with thc ratchet and springpawl attached. Fig. G is a sectionalView of the actuating-lever and bearing-plate, taken on the line to ofFig. 4.

1 designates a lever fulcrumed upon a pedestal 2, the outer end of thelever extending in close proximity to the rail 3, the opposite end beingconnected with a piston 4, fitting tightly within a cylinder 5, fromwhich there extends a vertical pipe 5', which enters a cylinder (5,sustained in a casing 7, mounted upon a pole S. in a piston t), having astem 10, forked at its upper end, as at 11, for a purpose hereinafterdescribed. l

12 designates a shaft actuated by a clockgearing located within a casing13, secured within casing 7. The clock mechanism being of the ordinarycharacter, preferably requiring winding but once in eight days, need notbe illustrated or described.

Upon the outer end of shaft 12 there is rigidly secured a ratchet-wheel14, the teeth of which are of V shape in order to allow thecorrespondingly-shaped tooth 15 of a springpawl16, secured upon apointer 17, to ride over the ratchet teeth when necessary. Pointer 17 iseither formed integral with or rigidly secured upon a hollow shaft 18,journaled upon shaft 12 and having a pinion 19 either integral or xedlysecured thereon.

19 designates a segment of gear journaled in the casing 7 to intermeshwith the pinion Cylinder 6 has fitting tightly there- 19, the said gearbeing formed with an arm 20, which extends therefrom a sufficientdistance to normally rest in the fork 11 of the piston-stem 10.

In operation, a train approaching the signal, as the iirst Wheelcontacts with the outer end of lever 1 and depresses the same theinnerend is raised accordingly, thereby raising piston 4 and forcing airthrough pipe 5 into cylinder 6 and raises piston 9, thereby through themedium of arm 2O and segmental gear 19 revolving pinion 19 and pointer17 until it reaches the numeral 1 or 0, the spring-pawl riding over theratchet-wheel during this operation. As soon as the train has passedlever 1 the pointer moves to indicate the proper time by reason of theclock mechanism with 4which it is connected, and if no train should passwithin thirtyT minutes the pointer moves tothe numerals 30, when itcontacts with a stud 21 and remains stationary, the clock, however,still being in operation, thereby causing the spring-pawl to ride overthe ratchet-wheel14. The engineer of the next succeeding train uponapproaching the signal observes the location of the pointer anddiscovers that a period of at least thirty minutes has elapsed since thepassage of the last train, and in passing over lever l resets thepointer to1or 0, when the pointer commences to indicate the time, as hasbeen described, and should the next succeeding train be but two, three,or less minutes. behind the train last passed this intormation is atonce conveyed to the engineer by his observing the number ot minutesindicated by the pointer upon the dial. It will be seen that the signalis absolutely correct and that each succeeding train is notified of thetime that has elapsed since the passage of the preceding train.

It will be evident that I may have a single lever, as described, wheneach train moves in the same direction, as in the case of a doubletrackrailway; but where there is but a single track I have provided a pivotedbearingplate 22, whereby when a train is moving in the direction 0f theportion 22L parallel with the track (see Fig. 4) it will depress thelever 1, While with a train approaching the oppo- .site way the wheelwill first contact with the inclined edge 23 of the plate and move theplate to one side in the direction of the arrow, thereby allowing thetrain to pass without affecting the signal, the spring 24 causing thebearing-plate 22 to return to its normal position in the path of travelof a train moving in the opposite direction.

The clock mechanism may be wound every eight days by an operative orconnected to be run electrically.

It will be readily understood that by my invention I may locate the dialremote from the place where the lever is pivoted by simply extending thepipe therefrom, thereby enabling me to locate the lever at the stationwithin sight of the ofiicial in charge and have the signal some distancetherefrom, as around a curve or where the station is hidden from view.

lVhat I claim is- 1. In a railway time-signal, two connectedair-compressors, one of which has connection with the pivoted leveradapted to operate the same when actuated by a moving train, a clockmechanism, a shaft actuated thereby, having a ratchet-wheel, a pointerhaving a springpawl engaging with the ratchet-wheel, a pinion upon thepointer-shaft, and a gear operated by one compressor to revolve theshaft and return the pointer to its starting-point.

2. In a time-signal, a pointer for indicating time, and mechanismconnected therewith and with a lever having one end contiguous to therailway-track, said lever having a spiingactnated bearing-plate adaptedto contact with the wheels ot a passing train when moving in onedirection and yield to the pressure of the wheel when contacted with bya train passing in an opposite direction.

3. In a railway time-signal, an air-compressor, a pivoted lever, one endof which is contiguous to the railway-track, the opposite end engagingthe piston of the air-conipiessor, a clock mechanism having aratchet-wheel on the outer end of the clock-shaft, a pointer having ashaft journaled on the clock-shaft, a spring-pressed bearing on thepointer bearing on the ratchet-wheel, and a gear-wheel on the oppositeend of the pointer-shaft meshing with asegrnental gear operated by thepiston of an air-compressor, said air-compressors being connected by anair-conduit, substantially as described.

4. In a railway time-signal, an air-compressor actuated by a passingtrain, another aircompressor and an air-conduit between the two, saidair-compressor having an upwardlyextending bifurcated piston-rod, aclock mechanism, a pointer moved thereby, having on its shaft asegmental gear, and a gear-wheel meshing therewith, having an integralarm adapted to rest in the bifurcated portion ot' the pistonrod and beactuated thereby.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

ADELBERT Il. THORP. lVitnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, CARROLL J. WEBSTER.

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